Development of a Care Model for Asthma Patients at Pakkred Hospital

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic disease and a major global public health issue, with a continuously rising number of cases, particularly among adults and the elderly, and is also a leading cause of death worldwide. The objectives of this research and development study were to: 1) examine the situation and analyze problems regarding asthma patient care; 2) develop a care model for asthma patients; and 3) evaluate the effectiveness of the developed care model. The research was conducted in three phases: Phase 1 involved studying and analyzing the situation through document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions; Phase 2 involved developing the care model; and Phase 3 involved evaluating the model’s effectiveness using a quasi-experimental, one-group pre-test/post-test design. The sample consisted of 34 asthma patients and a multidisciplinary team of 10 professionals. The research instruments consisted of interview guidelines, a satisfaction questionnaire, a questionnaire based on the multidisciplinary team’s opinions on the model, and the Mini-AQLQ quality of life assessment tool. The instruments demonstrated IOC values ​​ranging from .67 to 1.00 and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of .82, .84, and .87. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the dependent t-test, and content analysis. The research findings revealed that:

1. An analysis of the situation shows that patients lack self-care knowledge and skills, specifically regarding the correct use and administration of inhalers, and lack continuous communication. Meanwhile, the service system lacks standardized guidelines and integration among the multidisciplinary team.

2. The developed model, known as the Pakkred ATMA Model, comprises four components: patient assessment, technology utilization via LINE Official Account, medication management, and participatory care.

3. Evaluation of the developed model revealed that, following its implementation, patients reported high levels of satisfaction with the service and a good overall quality of life (M = 5.76, SD = 0.74), with statistical significance at the p-value < .05 level.

In conclusion, the developed asthma care model can help promote self-care, enhance communication between patients and the healthcare team, and be applied in hospitals at various levels.